1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electro-optical device, an electronic device, and an illumination apparatus.
2. Related Art
Flat-panel displays for use in thin television sets and mobile phones are required to be of low profile and light weight. In recent years, flexible flat-panel displays have been proposed to develop new markets.
For example, JP-A-2005-19082 discloses an organic EL display that includes an organic electroluminescence (EL) layer between two glass substrates each having a thickness as small as 100 μm or less. JP-A-2005-19082 also discloses that the organic EL display may include resin reinforcing layers on outer surfaces of the front and back glass substrates to compensate for the insufficient strength resulting from the reduced thickness.
As illustrated in FIG. 34, Japanese Patent No. 4,131,639 discloses a liquid crystal display 400 that includes a liquid crystal panel 90 composed of a pair of thin glass substrates sandwiched between transparent resin films 95a and 95b. 
The liquid crystal panel 90 is of a reflective type and is provided with a polarizing plate 91, which also serves as a reinforcing plate, on the display screen side and with a resin reinforcing plate 92 on the back side. The liquid crystal panel 90 with the resin reinforcing plates 91 and 92 attached on both sides is disposed between the two resin films 95a and 95b. 
It is considered that the reinforcing structure including the reinforcing plates 91 and 92 and the resin films 95a and 95b is intended to compensate for the specific characteristics of the glass substrates, that is, relatively high resistance to compressive stress but very low resistance to tensile stress. Japanese Patent No. 4,131,639 also discloses that the reinforcing structure is applicable to EL panels.
However, it is difficult to achieve sufficient actual strength with the reinforcing structure that includes the resin reinforcing plates 91 and 92 and the resin films 95a and 95b. In other words, it is difficult for the liquid crystal display 400 to achieve both great flexibility and high actual strength (tenacity).
This is because the resin reinforcing plates 91 and 92 and the resin films 95a and 95b disposed on the glass substrates may bend along with the glass substrates upon the application of a bending stress. In other words, the reinforcing plates 91 and 92 and the resin films 95a and 95b, together with the glass substrates, may be easily bent to the breaking point of the glass substrates (limiting radius). Thus, the glass substrates may become cracked and broken.
With the reinforcing structure in which the liquid crystal panel 90 with the reinforcing plates 91 and 92 attached on both sides is disposed between the two resin films 95a and 95b, not only dose the liquid crystal display 400 have a large thickness, but a gap G is also formed around the liquid crystal panel 90.
The gap G is particularly troublesome in a reinforcing structure that includes an organic EL panel as a display panel. More specifically, the formation of a large gap G around an organic EL panel may allow moisture to intrude into the gap G, causing deterioration of the organic EL layer. Since organic EL panels are self-luminous devices, display on a screen causes heat generation. However, heat radiation is not taken into consideration at all in the reinforcing structure. In other words, it is difficult for the reinforcing structure to prevent deterioration of the organic EL panel caused by heat generation.